The Trip
The First Encounter
We sat there for about 15 minutes when people started showing up to pick up their tickets at the box office. A nice couple, Flo and Jim (heavy-duty Meat fans!), picked up their tickets and came over to talk with Virginia and I. A few minutes later, another heavy-duty Meat fan, Janet, picked up her ticket and started to talk to all of us. As people would pick up their tickets, they would come over to where we were waiting for Kasim and before I knew it, a line was formed to enter the theatre! (Lucky me… that put me at the front of the line!)
At 5:45, the guy in a blue t-shirt came out the front door of the theatre with two escorts. I didn’t realize who he was until Flo pushed me out of her way screaming, “MEAT!! IT’S MEAT!!!” (She did it lovingly and with no harm to me. She even brushed her footprints off my back - just kidding. She later apologized and said that when Meat is around, that is all she can see. Kind of like what Felicia does when Kasim is around ;-) ). I said hello to Meat as he greeted the people waiting to get in, then he proceeded to his room. I asked Flo and Jim if he was ill, as he seemed weary and slow. They said no, that it was Meat as they knew him. Meat appeared smaller, thinner and a bit older than I conjured up in my mind’s eye.
About ten minutes later, Kasim came to the door and invited Virginia and I in so we could talk. I apologized for if I got him in trouble and asked him to bring a couple CD covers to Meat for an autograph. My daughter, Michelle, away at college, called a few days before and asked me to get a copy of Rocky Horror Picture Show and have “Eddie” autograph it near his picture. “And it HAS to say, ‘To Michelle’, daddy. PLEASE…” I gave Kasim that cover as well, and Kasim said he’d put it in Meat’s dressing room for his signature. After chatting about 10 minutes, Kasim had to get his butt in gear and get to work. Virginia and I went back to the line (still first! Thanks, Flo!) and waited for the doors to open. As we waited, the rest of the band came out and said hello to the waiting fans. The show started Friday night at 10.
The Venue
The Show
Damon, the guitarist, is awesome. All through Meat’s performance, he did his thing ripping the heck out of his guitar. Mark on the keyboards did a wonderful job. With Meat’s music being heavily keyboard-oriented, you’d hear him clearly throughout the show. Flawless. Ray on secondary keys and guitar filled all the gaps to create the ‘full’ sound you’d expect from the studio. John on the drums totally blew me away. I could feel the pressure from the drums all over my body. Meat, at one point, told John he wasn’t hitting the drums hard enough, so John gave Meat what he asked for! Pearl, Meat’s daughter, has a very strong voice and carried the backing vocals with Patti.
And Patti - wow! Like Pink Floyd’s The Wall show, this was more of a performance than a concert. Meat’s theatrical background certainly shined as he and Patti literally performed certain songs. I’d Do Anything For Love and Paradise by the Dashboard Lights were a true performance. Much, much more than a song. To see these two act out the meaning of the songs added a new depth for me. Yeah, I’ve listened to the songs in the past and knew they were good, BUT, after l-i-s-t-e-n-i-n-g to the performance, I didn’t realize the depth of the songs. Meat is certainly a man who lives, feels and breathes his music. Watching him hold the mic with his right hand, grab his pant leg with his left leg and slightly pull it up as he bent to feel his notes was truly inspiring. I stated to Flo while waiting in line that I was not a big Meat fan. I’m just here to see Kasim. Well, I’m a Meat fan now!
Kasim. Aaaah, the reason I was there. The dude is an artist. With the dual role of musician and musical director, he did a fine job. As a musician - bassist and background singer - he excels. Unfortunately, his vocals were drowned out more than I would like. Of course, I could listen to a show with nothing but his backing vocals (remember “and The Pips” doing Midnight Train To Georgia on Saturday Night Live back in the ‘70s?), but this was a Meat show and I understand others had to be there ;-). His bass was loud and clear, carrying the songs from beginning to end. And as musical director, watching him keep the band in sync with Meat was very interesting; the closing note of each song was conducted by the downward thrust of the neck of his bass. Perfect every time.
Meat’s ‘toying’ with the audience was fun. Saturday night at the opening of You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, he got down on the stage and started singing to a woman in the front row. She must have pulled away because Meat stopped the show and asked her if she was upset at his sweat dripping on her. At another point, he stopped the show because a gentleman in the front row was not singing along with virtually everyone else. Meat asked the man if he knew the words and if not, he would write them down for him. The man said he knew the words and stood up, turned around so everyone can see him, and sang along with the rest of us.
At the end of both shows, Meat did something he said he usually doesn’t do - he asked the audience for non-Meat Loaf songs as requests. He had the stage crew bring out five stools; one for Kasim, Pearl, Meat, Patti and Damon. The first song on Friday was the Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman. Also requested was Joan Jett’s I Love Rock n Roll. Kasim, being a former Blackheart, was whispering the words to Pearl as she sang one of the verses. Meat requested a tune himself; he wanted Pearl to sing Mercedes Benz. It was Wonderful.
Saturday’s show was just as fabulous as Friday’s show. Maybe even more so. As I said earlier, I was shocked when Meat did a somersault across the stage in the middle of the show. So much energy, so little stage. During the request portion, Kasim sang the Monkees’ Last Train To Clarksville. The closing song both nights was Bat Out Of Hell. What a performance.
The Summary
Click here for some great photos by Frank Ciapanna of the Friday concert
Click here for some great photos by Frank Ciapanna of the Saturday concert
Back to Kasim Sulton's Gigs with Meat Loaf
It wasn’t a good start to the weekend, but it was a start. Since my workplace is between home and Atlantic City, my plans were to leave directly from work at noon and start my trip to see Kasim play with Meat Loaf. But, memory loss (or old age setting in…) took its toll. As I closed the door of my truck when I arrived at work, I though, “THE TICKETS! I left the tickets at home!” So, the workday turned out to be 1.5 hours long and I drove the one hour home to get my tickets for the show. Rush, rush, rush, but I made it-package delivered. Then on to New Jersey to pick up my cousin, Virginia, and continue on to Atlantic City.
Hearing music coming from the theatre, Virginia and I walked in and saw Kasim and the band on the stage warming up. (It was about 5pm) As I approached the stage, some guy in a blue t-shirt turned to the band and yelled, “Who the hell is that?!?” Kasim responded, “He’s a friend” as he motioned for us to leave the theatre, stating, “I’ll be out in a few minutes.” We turned and left the theatre. As Virginia and I took a place on the floor outside the theatre doors, she said to me, “Frank, I think that guy who yelled was Meat Loaf.” I told her I was focused on Kasim and didn’t see him.
Circus Maximus seats 1,100 people and has tables that are perpendicular to the stage. The tables are arranged on levels, like steps, and seat eight to ten people per table, so everyone has a clear view of the stage. Although I was first in line to get in, we were seated halfway back from the stage, as the front half was saved for V.I.P.s - you know, the high rollers. Even as a guest of the hotel, I could not get a seat up front. A real bummer.
Just after 10pm, the lights dimmed and the place started to roar. As the intro to All Revved Up was played, the curtain rose in the darkness. Seconds later, the dimly lit stage was bombarded with light as the band exploded with music; the acoustics just blew me away. I was astonished by Meat’s performance. The apparently feeble old man I saw hours before was nowhere to be found. (So much for first impressions!) The energy he radiated to his audience was overwhelming. I’m telling you, the guy was a nuclear powerhouse. Strutting across the stage, yelling to the audience, arms waving all over the place and strumming his guitar with the energy of a teenager. He even did a somersault across the stage Saturday night in the middle of the show. The thought of the performance revitalizes me!
Yep, I’m a Meat fan now. Can’t wait for my next show.